Protesters push public notification on harms of cell tower radiation

Their voices were loud, their signal clear: the risks associated with cell towers cannot be ignored any longer.

“It’s time to listen to science and stop listening to the telecom industry which is pushing… to put these dangerous technologies around us for the sake of profit,” said Patricia White, a co-ordinator behind Salmon Arm’s 5G Day of Action, one of similar rallies held on Wednesday, May 15 across Canada and the U.S.

The intent of the rallies was to raise awareness of the radiation associated with cellular technologies, and to call on governments to suspend deployment of a more powerful 5G (fifth generation) cellular network in residential neighbourhoods until exposure can be proven safe.

White and others at the rally at Ross Street Plaza stressed scientific studies already show exposure to existing levels of radio frequency radiation from cell towers to be problem, and they don’t want to see the addition of cellular antenna in the downtown as planned by Rogers Wireless.

“We certainly don’t need it, they’re trying to tell us that we need it for our convenience but we don’t need it,” said White. “What we have right now is ample and its already harming us. The last thing we need is more of this cellular technology.”

Speeches at the plaza stage were followed by a march through town, with Dr. Ross Anderson stopping to measure the level of electromagnetic radiation at the corner of Alexander Street and Hudson Avenue.

“We’re in the vicinity of 200 (microwatts) – 200 is 20 times the safe level that science has established,” said Anderson.

White read from a petition to the City of Salmon Arm and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, to halt the deployment of all wireless devices planned for the area, adding that until the safety of the technology has been proven by non-industry funded scientists, ” continuing with the plan to bring more of these devices into our communities is not acceptable.”